When I paint I am looking for ways to represent my encounters with the beauty and power of the natural landscape. My intention is to find visual equivalents for the sensual, aural, and other, primarily non-visual experiential qualities encountered. This wish to paint as a homage to the environment led me to choose recycled and eco-friendly materials, and also introduce new subject matter such as places currently threatened by environmental issues. It is important that the scenes I depict are a recollection of my experience and feelings towards an occasion which is still fresh in my memory. Consequently I am visiting areas around London and Surrey, where I am living at the moment, which either show signs of people's efforts (or lack thereof) towards sustainable projects, or occasions where the effects of climate change are visible, i.e. flooding and unusual weather.
My main case study is the proposed third runway at Heathrow. I have focused on the existing airport and the awkward way in which its machines, lights and buildings clash with the surrounding nature, and also the village of Sipson, which will be obliterated if the build goes ahead. To inform my work I am attending lectures and protests about climate change, studying artists and musicians with similar principals, and I have spoken to several members of Greenpeace, who have bought a plot of land in Sipson, with the intention of making it difficult for BAA to force a sale. My painting is therefore an attempt to connect the visual and culturally familiar experience of the landscape with its visceral, reflexive equivalent, so that the viewer can identify with the pleasures of the existing but endangered 'great outdoors', and also become more aware of issues which imperil our fragile and beautiful planet.
2008 - 2009 MA, Wimbledon College of Art
2005 - 2008 BA hons, School of Art, University of Wales, Aberystwyth
1996 - 2005 West Buckland School, West Buckland, Devon
1992 - 1996 Filleigh County Primary School, Filleigh, Devon
2009 MA Fine Art
2008 BA (Hons) 1st class, Fine Art
2004 - 2005 A levels: 1A (Art), 2Bs (French and German), 1C (General Studies), AS level: 1C (English)
2004 Grade 8 Piano
2003 GCSEs: 5A* s, 6As, 1B
2002 Basic Food Hygiene Certificate
2000 Grade 4 Violin
Solo
2009 'It's All Up In The Air', Gallery 118, Notting Hill, London
2008 Claytons, Barnstaple
2007 'Landscapes', Rising Sun Inn, Umberleigh
Group
2009 Otterspool Studio
2009 Deutsche Postbank Exhibition
2009 'Intersections', MA Interim Show 2009, The Nunnery, Bow Rd
2009 New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham
2009 Fountain Fine Art, Llandeilo
2009 Deutsche Postbank Exhibition
2008 Room for Art Gallery, Cobham
2008 Elizabeth Finn Care and Macmillan Cancer Support Art Exhibition for Young Artists, Hallsannery, Devon
2008 Celebration Exhibition, 150th Anniversary of West Buckland School, Devon
2008 Sandford Gallery, Shrewsbury
2008 Appledore Gallery, Appledore, Devon
2008 Westward Ho! And Bideford Art Society 86th Summer Exhibition Burton Art Gallery, Bideford, Devon
2008 Degree show, Aberystwyth University
2008 Boundary Gallery, London
2008 Oriel Dafydd Hardy, Caernarfon
2008 Student Art Society 2007/08, UWA, Morlan Centre, Aberystwyth
2007 Exhibition for Open Competition, Art Matters, Tenby, Pembrokeshire
2007 Westward Ho! And Bideford Art Society 85th Summer Exhibition Burton Art Gallery, Bideford, Devon
2007 Student Art Society 2006/07, UWA, at Cambria Arts, Tregaron, Wales
2006 Westward Ho! And Bideford Art Society 84th Summer Exhibition Burton Art Gallery, Bideford, Devon
2006 Cambria Arts, Tregaron, Wales
2006 Tokos Gallery and Craft Shop, Aberystwyth, Wales
2006 Rising Sun, Umberleigh, Devon
2006 1 Work (sold privately to raise money for Leukaemia Research) Dovetails Gallery, Ilfracombe, Devon
2005 Joint exhibition with Edward Crumpton, Swimbridge Village Hall, Devon